Combined ladder and wheelbarrow



June 5, 1928.

A. M. GENTNER COMBINED LADDER AND WHEELBARROW Filed April 15, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet COMBINED LADDER AND WHEELBARROW Filed April 15, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 II I I I I I 0 I 5 gnoento'p (71M 6 67121261 June 5, 1928. 1,672,717

A. M. GENTNER I COMBINED LADDER AND WHEELBARROW Filed April 15, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wuewtoz JZM fianirzer" a 5 7 g i Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANNA M. GENTNER, OF LOWELL, FLORIDA.

COMBINED LADDER AND WHEELBARROW.

Application filed April 15, 1926. Serial No. 102,198.

. struction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view in side elevation of they device in condition for use as a ladder,

Figure-2 is a view in front elevation of the ladder,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the lower portion of the side bars and steps of the ladder omit-ted,

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the device in condition for use as a wheelbarrow,

Figure 5 is a topplan view of the wheelbarrow with the body omitted,

a: in?

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is adetail top plan view of the body of the wheelbarrow.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of the body of the wheelbarrow, and

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view of the extension sides of the body of the wheelbarrow.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and designated in the several views of the accompanying drawings, by similar reference characters.

The device comprises, as best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, side bars 1 which are of sectional formation and the sections 1 and 1 of which are pivotally connected as at 2. Steps 3 are secured to and between the side bars 1, and are reinforced and strengthened by rods 4. The side bar sections 1 and 1 are held against casual pivotal movement by a rod 5, and the lower ends of the side bar sections 1 are reduced and rounded to provide hand grips 6. Legs 7 are pivoted at their upper ends to the upper ends of the side bars 1 as at 8, and are also of sectional formation. The leg sections 7 and 7 are slidably connected together by cuffs 9 which are carried by the leg sections 7 and in which the sections 7 are alidabl y mounted. The leg sections 7 a are adapted to be secured in retracted or projected position with respect to the leg sections 7 by bolts 10 which are carried by theleg sections 7 and adapted to be engaged with certain of the openings 11 in the leg sections 7*. Braces 12 are pivotally connected to the bolts 10 and detachably engaged with bolts 13 carried by the side bar sections 1*. Legs 14 are secured by bolts 15 to the side bar sections 1*, and are reinforced andstrengthened by braces 16. A rod 10 removably carried by the leg sections 7 a and provided with in-v ner and outer nuts IO and 10, respectively, prevents the legs 7 from having any relative lateral movements and assists the bolts 10 in maintaining the leg sections 7 a and 7 in projected relation, the lower ends of the leg sections 7 b having recesses for the reception of the rod 10 The device as shown in these figures is adapted for use as a ladder. The ladder is strong, durable and rigid, and is especially well adapted for use in picking fruit. By removing the bolt 5, disengaging the braces 12 from the bolts 13, and removing the bolts 10 and rod 10*, the ladder may be compactly folded in the manner illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6. When in this condition the ladder constitutes the frame and legs of a wheelbarrow, and the side bar sections l occupy a position beneath the side bar sections 1 and the collapsed leg sections 7 and 7 occupy a position beneath the side bar sections 1". The side bar sections 1 are held against pivotal movement with respect to the side bar sections 1 by hooks 17 carried by the parts 1 and engaging eyes 18 carried by the parts 1". The legs 7 are held against pivotal movement with respect to the other parts of the folded ladder by hooks 19 carried by the side bar sections 1 and engaging the bolts 10. An axle 20 is journaled in'bearings 21 carried by the side bar sections 1, and is removably held in place by collars 22 and set screws 23. The wheelbarrow is supported adjacent its rear end by the legs 14 and at its front end by wheels 24 journaled I on the axle 20. If desired, the side bar sections l and the legs 7 may be omitted when the device is being used as a wheelbarrow.

A body 25 is removably supported on the side bar sections 1 when the device is being used as awheelbarrow. This art consti tutes a receptacle for the picke fruit, and when the device is being used as a ladder it is adapted to be placed in a position to permit the fruit as picked to be conveniently placed therein. Strips 26 secured to the body 25 and contacting with the outer sides of the side bar sections 1, and hooks 27 carried by the body and engaging eyes 28 carried by said side bar sections, function to retain the body in place when the device is being used as a wheelbarrow, and the strips constitute legs or supports for the body when the device is being used as a step ladder. The front side 29 of the body 25 extends above the lateral sides 30 and rear side 31 thereof. Lateral extension sides32 rest upon the upper edges of the lateral sides 30 and are retained in place by members 33 which are secured to the inner surfaces of the lateral sides 32 and contact with the inner surfaces of the lateral sides 30 and the front and rear sides 29 and 31. Members 34 are secured within the body 25 to the front and rear sides 29 and 31, and contact at their ends with the lower ends of the members 33 to hold said members in frictional contact with the lateral sides 30. A rear side extension 35 rests upon the upper edge of the rear side 31 and is positioned between the lateral sides 32' and retained in place by a rod 36. The rear side 35 is also positioned between the rod 36 and members 33, and said rod is provided with a head 37 and a winged nut 38.- By turning the wing nut 38 on the rod 36 the rear side 35 will be secured against accidental displacement, and by turning said nut in the reverse direction on said rod said side will be freed for removal.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that the device may be readily and quickly adapted for use a ladder or wheelbarrow, and that in view thereofthe device is especially adapted for use by orchardists. The device is also admirabl-yadapted for other uses, and when used by an orchardist it provides a ladder by means of which fruit may be readily picked, a recptacle for the picked fruit, and permits the picked fruit to be readily conveyed from the orchard. The device is simple, durable and practically indestructible, and may be easily and quickly converted from one of said devices to the other. After the rod 5 is removed from the position in which it is shown in Figure 1, it may be placed in openings 39 in the side bar sections 1 so as to prevent its being misplaced or lost. v

It should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of aprc ferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is A device of the character set forth, comprising side bars, legs secured to the side bars, wheels removably ournaled on the side bars, a body removably positioned upon the side bars and having its front side extending above its lateral and rear sides, strips secured to the body and contacting with the outer faces of the side bars and adapted to constitute supports for the body when it is removed from the side bars, lateral and rear extension sides removably positioned upon the upper edges of the lateral and rear sides of the body, means connecting the extension sides, retaining members secured to the in ner faces of the lateral extension sides and contacting with the inner faces of the lateral and front and rear sides of the body, and members secured within the body to the front and rear sides thereof and contacting at their ends with the lower ends of the retaining members to secure said ends of said members in frictional contact with the lateral sides of-the body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ANNA M. GENTNER. 

